Combination display and dispensing case



Jan. 2, 1940. T. w. TURNER CQMBINATIGN DISPLAY AND DISPENSING CASE Filed Aug. 9, 195a 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 2, 1940.

T. W. TURNER COMBINATION DISPLAY AND-DISPENSING CASE 2 sheeiisesheet 2 Filed Aug. 9, 1938 I'IlIl/IIIIIIIIIL urn TWEMW' Patented Jan. 2, 1940 COMBINATION 'DISPLAYFAND" CASE DISPENSING Thomas W. Turner, Newport News Va. Application" August 9, 1938. Serial No. passes 3 Claims. (01.. 312-157) My invention relates to portable display cases of that particular type designed to receive articles of food, and in which the contents mayibe easily removed for the purpose 'of dispensing'the same or for using the articles inmaking up sandwiches where the display case is installedin an eating saloon.

' The principal object ofmy invention is to provide adisplay case especially adapted forfl'displaying articles of food used in making up sandwiches of the kind commonly known as hot dog sandwiches, whereby the rolls and sausages on display will be kept warm, and the construction of the display case or cabinet will expedite the handling of the articles in making .up the sandwiches.

With this principal object in view my invention contemplates the provision of a display case in which'the articles of food. are supported by a frame turnable within the'casing or cabinet so that a portion of this supporting frame can be swung outsideof the casing or cabinet for the removal of the articles of .food.

My invention also contemplates a portable display .case of this general character to include a water containing compartment or boiler for .using the display case in connection with a heating unit or burner, with means for regulating the amount of heat admitted into the display case,

ther objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following specifications,

' and what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is specifically set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings: I

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a combination display and dispensing case constructed in accordance with my invention.

' Fig. 2 is a rear elevation.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view, the turnable supporting frame for the articles of foodv being swung partly open.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional View through the center of the device, and

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view including a modification of my invention. Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in the several views of the drawings.

In carrying out my invention the cabinet, in which the articles of food are enclosed for displayand easy access, is constructed to include.

a base It], preferably semi-circular in cross-section, with posts II, II, rising from the corners thereof to support the top l2, with a curved glass plate I3 forming the front and sidesof the; case".

or cabine'tand interposed between theba'se, corner posts, and top which are recessed to receive the edges of the glass plate. l

'Ihe base is formed to provide a water recep' tacle or;boiler M, preferably covered'by a plate I5, the latter beingseated' in an annular recess -l6=-at the inner edge of the rim of said base, and for positioning-the boiler the desired distance above the heating unit or burner over which the displaycase is placed for keeping the arti cles of food warm there are supporting-legsll, H at the corners and front of thebase. The back, it, of the casing forms the essential part of therotatable frame" adapted to support the articles of'food, and this frame in addition to the back includes a bottom plate i9 attached to the lower edge of the back and resting on the rim of the'base when'the cabinet is closed as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 5.- To provide for rotatable movement of the frame so that either side thereof may be swung open, as shown in"Fig.'3, it is centrally pivoted between' the base and top bypintles or gudge'ons 2d," E'Qjfitting in sockets therefor-in the base and top, and for reinforcing the-back of-the case battens'zi and 22 extend transversely across the 18211118 one of said-battens, .82; having knobs '23 for convenience in i ging the suppor frame to open and closed positions. a

As-the displ'ay case orcabihet is especially dei signed for containing articles of food to be used in the making up of sandwiches of rolls and sausages, and for keeping the articles warm, the bottom plate IQ of the supporting frame, spaced from the plate l5 forming the top of the boiler, and on which the sausages are placed, is provided with perforations 24 for admitting steam into the display case, said plate bearing on the plate 28 'is open. The closing of this damper or cover plate will cause the steam to pass into the space between the plates [5 and I9 and through the holes or perforations 24 in the plate I'9 so as to keep the s'ausa geshot, and also heat the rolls which are supported on the back plate passage of thewsteam when the damper or cover by means ofpins 29 driven through the battens function of providing a table.

2|, 22, and back l8, at opposite sides of the stack.

For removing condensation on the inner side of the glass front of the cabinet the side edges of the back of the rotatable frame are provided with wipers 30 secured in place by metal strips 3|, whereby when the supporting frame carrying the articles of food is swung open to expose the articles of food at one side of said supporting frame, or swung half way, around, the wipers will be swept across the glass front.

From the foregoing description in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be ap-, parent that the display case or cabinet will pro:

vide a convenience for eating saloons, hot dog I stands, and other places where sandwiches are tobe served, for it not only provides for displaying the sausages and rolls in an attractive manner but also keeps them warm or hot as well as expedites the handling of the same in the making up of sandwiches.

The water compartment or boiler in the base of the cabinet may be provided with a covered filling opening (not shown), and in some instances, as illustrated in Fig. 5, the base may be extended to a complete circle and an additional plate 32 attached to the lower edge of the upright wall of the rotatable frame to act as a table on which to make upvthe sandwiches, it being understood that the rear extension of the base need not be provided with a boiler. By providing the additional plate 32 it will serve to cover the boiler when the supporting frame for the articles of food is turned in either direction from its normal position, in addition to its Other modifications may be found desirable in the manufacture of the cabinet, and consequently I wish it understood that modifications or changes may be made within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cabinet for displaying and dispensing articles of merchandise comprising a base and top spaced from each other and connected by a v glass front, a water compartment or boiler depending from the base, a plate at the top of the boiler having an opening in the rear of the same, and a rotatable frame for supporting the articles within the cabinet, said rotatable frame including a vertical wall centrally pivoted between the base and top and forming the back of the cabinet, a horizontal plate attached to the lower end a of the wall and spaced from the plate at the top of the boiler, and a stack extending from the bottom of the supporting framepn a line with the opening in the plate covering the top of the boiler when said rotatable supporting frame is closed.

2. A, cabinet for displaying and dispensing articles of merchandise comprising a base and top spaced from each other and connected by a glass front, a water compartment or boiler depending from the base, a plate at the top of the boiler, arotatable frame for supporting the articles within the cabinet, said rotatable frame includinga vertical wall centrally pivoted between the base and top and forming the back of the cabinet, a horizontal plate attached to the lower end of the wall to form the bottomof the cabinet and spaced from the plate covering the boiler,

and wipers at the side edges of the verticalv wall adapted to sweep over the inside of the glass front. l

3. A cabinet for displaying and dispensing articles of, merchandise comprising a circular base, a semi-circular top located above and spaced from the forward portion of the base to which it is connected by a glass front extending between said top and base, a water compartment or boiler depending from the base and, having a plate covering the top of the same, said plate having a hole therein through which steam passes from the boiler, in connection with a rotatable frame for supporting the articles within the cabinet including a vertical wall centrally pivoted between the base and top and forming the back of the body portion of the cabinet, a stack extending upwardly at the inner side of the wall to cooperate with the boiler in heating the inner side of the cabinet, and horizontal plates attached to the lower end of the wall to extend forwardly and rearwardly therefrom, one of said last mentioned plates forming the bottom of the cabinet and spaced from the plate covering the boiler and having an opening therein at the bottom of the stack, and the other of said last mentioned plates forming a table in the rear of the back wall of the cabinet in the closed position of the latter.

THOMAS W. TURNER. 

